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Updated March 22, 2024·
If you prioritize saving money and mainly use your laptop for everyday tasks like browsing the web, working with documents, or watching videos, the ASUS Vivobook 17 is a suitable choice; it also has a larger screen for comfortable viewing. The Dell Alienware m16 R2, although more expensive, is tailored for gaming, 3D rendering, and other high-performance needs, offering faster processing and graphics capabilities, but it is heavier, making it less ideal for carrying around. Additionally, the Dell's shorter battery life is a trade-off for its higher performance. Choose based on your primary use—everyday tasks or intensive computing and gaming. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook 17
- Good portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
263.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS Vivobook 17 are both good for general use, though the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Vivobook 17, with its ample screen real estate and efficient CPU, offers a comfortable experience for everyday tasks and entertainment, but its larger size may affect portability and battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go use. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is powerful, boasting top-notch RAM and CPU suitable for more demanding applications and gaming, but it comes with a premium price and may be heavier, impacting portability, while also having potentially shorter battery life due to its high-performance components.
Gaming and AI
6.0
7.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 17 offers mid-level graphics performance and a standard screen refresh rate, making it suitable for casual gaming and basic 3D tasks, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 features a high-end GPU and a faster refresh rate screen, providing a smoother and more immersive experience for demanding games and 3D applications. The Alienware also boasts a stronger CPU and superior screen quality, further enhancing gameplay and visual work, but the Vivobook may appeal to those on a tighter budget.
Engineering and Design
6.3
8.4
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 17 offers a suitable CPU, RAM, and screen quality for engineering tasks but may lack the GPU power needed for more demanding design work, whereas the Dell Alienware m16 R2 comes with a stronger CPU and GPU combo, greater RAM, and superior screen quality, which are crucial for intensive engineering and 3D design. However, the Alienware's higher performance comes with less portability due to its size and weight, and you may notice it runs louder under heavy use, although it does boast a better keyboard and speaker quality than the Vivobook.
Content Creation
7.0
7.9
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and ASUS Vivobook 17 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.9
7.6
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.2
8.2
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
263.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 17 has an adequate display with respectable resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and productivity software; however, with limited color accuracy and coverage, it falls short for professional engineering and design work where precise colors are critical. Dell's Alienware m16 R2, with its superior resolution and brightness, as well as better coverage of professional color gamuts, offers a more vivid and accurate visual experience for both general use and specialized applications like CAD and graphic design. However, both the Vivobook 17 and the Alienware m16 R2 are not ideal for gaming and 3D purposes because they do not prioritize high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth motion and a responsive gaming experience.
Build Quality
6.5
8.5
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$429
$1,650
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook 17 has a price of $429 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook 17 to have good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook 17 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook 17 | Dell Alienware m16 R2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$429 | $1,650 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | January 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 9.9'' x 0.78'' | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 5.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 14.33" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.89" | 9.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1220P | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 263 nits | 302 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS Vivobook 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | May 2022
"The ASUS Vivobook 17 is an affordable 17-inch laptop with passive cooling. On one hand, you get a really quiet and cool work device with a good system performance, many connections, good maintenance options, speakers acceptable for multimedia enjoyment, and a sharp and clear matte FHD IPS display with the Asus VivoBook 17 (F712JA). On the other hand, the USB-C port lacks Power Delivery and DisplayPort, and the display, a higher brightness and better color space coverage."
Dell Alienware m16 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Momo Tabari | January 2024
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 17 or the Dell Alienware m16 R2
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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